The inability of Frank and Jamie McCourt to settle their divorce case and the prospect of several more years of litigation has prompted Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to consider intervening on behalf of the Dodgers.

Selig has remained virtually silent on the issue since the McCourts filed for divorce 11 months ago, saying only that the legal proceedings needed to play out.

However, according to four people who have spoken with him, Selig is dismayed at the public spectacle surrounding the divorce and concerned about the potential for lasting damage to the league and its flagship West Coast franchise. He has told those people he wants the Dodgers' ownership situation resolved long before his scheduled retirement in 2012.

You want glimmers of hope, Dodger fans? There, at the bottom of Bill Shaikin's piece, lies a faint spark of light:

Sal Galatioto, whose New York investment firm advises buyers and sellers of sports franchises, said McCourt would not need to entertain lowball offers if he were to sell the Dodgers.

"There would be plenty of buyers," Galatioto said. "The team is profitable. It's Los Angeles."